The Minneapolis Guitar Quartet Adds Unique Textures to Classical Guitar Performance on October 29th

 

By Robert E. Martin

The Minneapolis Guitar Quartet is determined to smash whatever assumptions people may harbor about the nature of classical guitar music, and Mid-Michigan residents will have a unique opportunity to catch the flavor and complexities of their material when the Midland Performing Arts Society presents a special performance of their flawless and witty music on Saturday, October 29th at 8:00 PM.
 

For the uninitiated, the MGQ plays out a combination of passion, style, and musical sophistication in their unique take on the best chamber music and string quartet traditions.
Composer Daniel Bernard Roumain calls the group "more than a guitar quartet, more than superb musicians, and more than a great chamber group. They are ambassadors of sound, style, and substance."
 

One of the leading guitar ensembles since its founding in 1986, this group balances a repertoire ranging from Renaissance and Baroque to Spanish, Latin American and Romantic to existing and commissioned contemporary works. 
 

The Midland program will include several pieces written especially for the quartet, including Jeff Lambert's Chicago Summer and Minneapolis Winter, Daniel Bernard Roumain's Ghetto Strings and David Kechley's Voices from the Garden.
 

Other pieces include J. S. Bach's Toccata in D, BWV 912, Maria Kalaniemi's Three Finnish Pieces and Alberto Ginastera's Danzas Argentinas, all arranged by the quartet.
 

The MGQ has been heard on National Public Radio's Performance Today and its first two CDs - New Works for Guitar Quartet and Over Land and Sea - received international critical acclaim. The group's newest CD, Pictures at an Exhibition, was released in April 2004.
 

Members of the Minneapolis Guitar Quartet consist of O. Nicholas Raths, a founding member at home with both classical & pop music, whom as performed as a studio musician on the recordings of many major artists, including three Janet Jackson albums. Having studied under such classical & jazz masters as Pepe, Romero, Howard Roberts and Jeffrey Van, Raths' teaches guitar and lectures in popular music history and theory at St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota.
 

Jeff Lambert joined the MGQ in December 2001 after studying with founder Joseph Hadedorn at the University of Wisconsin - River Falls for six years.  Lambert has been a top-prize winner in several Midwestern guitar competitions and released his first solo guitar CD in 2003.He has been featured on the Minnesota Guitar Society's Guitarathon for four years.
 

Joseph Hagedorn launched his career in 1990 by winning the Guitar Foundation of America solo competition and has performed all over the U.S. and Canada as a soloist and chamber musician.
A gifted arranger for the MGQ, he was awarded the Minnesota State Arts Board Fellowship in 1995. He has studied under Richard Stratton, Christopher Carrington, Nelson Amos and Jeffrey Van. He has also been on the music faculty of
the University of Wisconsin-River Falls since 1988.
 

Jeffrey Thygeson   is the newest member of the Minneapolis Guitar Quartet, joining in 2002. He has been an active soloist and chamber musician with appearances in New York, Cleveland, Chicago, Los Angeles and throughout the Midwest.
       

"The group started in 1986 with me and Nick Raths as two of the original members," explains Hagedorn. "All four of the original members were closely associated with the University of Minnesota, and Jeff Lambert and Jeff Thygeson both joined about four years ago."
 

When asked what he feels distinguishes the MGQ apart from other group and string quartet configurations, Hagedorn quickly references the groups' repertoire.
 

"Since there are only a handful of well established guitar quartets, it is relatively easy for us to play a repertoire that is unique to our group. We've arranged many pieces that were originally for other instruments and we keep discovering more pieces to arrange that haven't yet been tried by other guitar quartets. The list ranges from short Renaissance pieces to the entire "Pictures at an Exhibition" to Finnish accordion music."

 

" The Minneapolis Guitar Quartet is also well known for commissioning new works by contemporary composers. We have so many pieces we'd love to play that our biggest challenge is choosing just enough for one concert."
 

Is there much room for improvisation with the MGQ, or does Joe feel it important to stick with the strict structure of the compositions?
 

"The composers of the music we play, in most cases, do not (or did not) expect or desire improvisation in the sense that Jazz musicians improvise. We do, however, still have a great deal of freedom in refining our interpretation of any work we play. And in performance, we can still improvise in the sense that our interpretation is flexible and can always be shaped by what any one player does at any given moment."
Mid-Michigan audiences are fortunate for this opportunity to catch the MGQ live, insofar as the group usually only performs around 15 concerts per year.  The rest of the year they rehearse twice a week throughout most of the year.
 

When asked what he feels each distinct member contributes to the overall sound, Hagedorn is reflective.
"Each player has different characteristics and different strengths. Sometimes we consider these factors when deciding who will play which part. While we maintain the same seating order at all times, we often play different parts on different pieces so that we don't all get bored playing parts that are too similar such as always high or always low. Our greatest strength as a group is the ability to blend together and balance, so that one person does not stick out unintentionally."
 

Are there any specific styles or artists that the MGQ is influenced or informed by?
"Because we play such a widely varied repertoire, we have to be very familiar with everything from Baroque to Flamenco. Our work with contemporary composers often stretches our boundaries and brings to our group completely new musical experiences. I think every one of us enjoys music of all styles and cultures."
                                           

Midland Performing Arts Society presents the highest quality professional performing arts events available in a subscription series format.  Season subscriptions are available now at $80 for adults and $32 for students - more than 25% discount off the single ticket price.
       

To obtain tickets, call the  MCFTA Box
Office at (989) 631-8250 or (800) 523-7649 or visit their  web site at www.mcfta.org.
Individual tickets are available at the box office.